Mechanical toy bank



Dec. 27, 1960 A. G. H. KREISS 2,966,003

MECHANICAL TOY BANK Filed Dec. 22, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ADOLF G. H. KREISS Dec. 27, 1960 KRE|$$ 2,966,003

MECHANICAL TOY BANK Filed D60. 22, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ADOLF G. H. KREISS BY m8mmx United States Patent MECHANICAL TOY BANK Adolf G. H. Kreiss, 5044 Litchfield Road, San Diego, Calif.

Filed Dec. 22, 1958, Ser. No. 782,088

6 Claims. (Cl. 46-4) The present invention relates generally to toy savings banks and more particularly to a mechanical toy bank.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a toy bank in which each coin, as inserted, is visibly propelled around a transparent external conduit or guide to be deposited in the storage portion of the bank, the bank itself being a replica of the earth and the guide simulating the course of a rocket propelled satellite vehicle or the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide a toy bank in which a portion of the coin guide is of spiral form, simulating an orbit about a body, such as the moon, spaced from the main body of the bank.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a toy bank in which the propelling mechanism is completely concealed in the bank and is actuated by an externally extending lever.

A further object of this invention is to provide a toy bank in which the mechanism is compartmented separate- 1y from the coin storage section to prevent jamming of the action by coins.

- Another object of this invention is to providea my bank which is simple and economical to manufacture and contains a minimum of parts.

Finally, it is an object to provide a toy bank of the aforementioned character which is simple, safe and convenient to operate and which will give generally eflicient and durable service.

With these and other objects definitely in View, this invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, particularly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the drawings which form a material part of this disclosure, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete bank;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the coin carrier removed from the bank.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the Views of the drawings.

The bank includes a generally spherical hollow body 10 mounted on a frusto-conical base 12, which may be decorated or molded in any suitable form, being merely a stable support to hold the bank in an upright position. The upper portion of the base 12 is closed to provide a bottom panel 14 for the body 10, said bottom panel being fitted with an access door 16 for removal of the contents, the door preferably opening inwardly to prevent displacement by the weight of coins. The door 16 may be hinged or otherwise attached to the bottom panel 14 and can be provided with a lock if desired. The body 10 is divided by a transverse upright wall 18 into a large storage compartment 20 and a sornewhat smaller receiving compartment 22 the upper portion of the body having a slot 24 opening into said storage compartment for insertion of paper money and large coins, such as half dollars.

Extending upwardly from the body 10 is a hollow, continuous conduit 26, rectangular in cross section and dimensioned to provide free passage for coins up to and including a quarter dollar, although larger sizes of conduits may be constructed if desired. The entire conduit is of transparent material so that coins can be observed in motion. The conduit 26 includes a straight ascent channel 28 extending upwardly from the receiving compartment 22, a spiral loop portion 30 of one or more coils, and a straight descent channel 32 extending downwardly into the storage compartment 2d. The ascent channel 28 extends downwardly into the receiving compartment 22 and comprises a guide sleeve 34, which is secured to the wall 18 to support the conduit structure. At the point of entry into the body 10, the ascent channel 28 has an integral coin receiving chute 36 extending angularly upwardly and outwardly from said body and having a coin insertion slot 38 at the upper end thereof, said chute opening into the guide sleeve 34.

Inside the guide sleeve 34 is a generally rectangular coin carrier 40 having a closed lower end 42 and an open upper end 44, the coin carrier having upwardly extended, spaced parallel sides 46 shaped to simulate the profile of a rocket, as in Figure 5. The coin carrier 40 is freely slidable in the guide sleeve 34 and has an integral stud 48 projecting downwardly from the closed end 42, said stud having an enlarged head 50. On the wall 18 adjacent the portion 56 which fits loosely around and is retained on the stud 48. Extending from the coil portion 56 is an actuating arm 58 which projects through a generally vertical slot 59 in the body 10. The sides of the guide sleeve 34 have longitudinal slots 60 to allow vertical movement of the spring 54 while attached to the coin carrier 40.

The slots 60 have closed upper ends 62 which act as stops to limit upward movement of the spring 54, so that the v coin carrier 40 is normally held with its open end 44 aligned with the lower end of the chute 36, as in Figure 3. If desired, a flat type leaf spring may be substituted for the wire spring, according to the particular arrangement of structure necessitated by manufacturing requirement-s.

To add to the novelty of the bank the body 10 may be painted or otherwise decorated with a simple map of the earth, which may be oriented so that the actuating arm 58 extends adjacent a well known rocket launching base. Also a small model moon 64 may be fixed in the center of the loop portion 30, which then simulates an orbital path around the moon. With the exception of the unitary wire spring, the entire structure may be molded in suitable interfitt'ing parts from plastic or the like.

When a coin, indicated in broken line at 66 in Figure 3, is dropped into the chute 36, it falls down into the coin carrier 40, as indicated at 66a. The actuating arm 58 is then pressed downwardly to the position shown in full line in Figure 4, to load the spring 54 and released, the spring 54 propels the coin carrier 40 upwardly until stopped by the spring striking the ends of slots 60. The impetus of the upwardly moving coin carrier 40 causes the coin to be ejected up through the ascent channel 28, as at 66b, around the loop portion 30 and down through the descent channel 32 to be deposited in the storage compartment 20, as indicated at 660. Since the conduit is transparent, the action gives the impression of an object being fired from the earth, orbiting the moon andreturning to earth, the extended sides 46 of the coin car-Q rier 40 simulating the launching vehicle which propels the object. The considerable length of the coin carrier 40 provides a jam proof sliding action, the loose fit of the coil portion 56 on thestud 48 allowing for distortion of the spring 54 without causing misalignment of the coin carrier.

The operation of this invention will be clearly comprehended f'rom a consideration of the-foregoingdescrip-tion of the mechanical details thereof, taken in connection with the drawings and the above recited objects. It will be obvious that all said objects are amply achieved by this invention.

It is understood that minor variation from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the specification and drawings are to be considered 7 as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

It is specifically noted that variation of the form of the coin-guiding conduit and of the coin driving means maybe found desirable or expedient, it being conceived that the principal requirement is that the coin will be visible throughout a major portion of its travel. Obviously, also the base and design features of the device can be altered materially within the ambit of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A toy bank, comprising: a hollow body having a coin receiving portion and a coin storage portion; an enclosed, continuous, at least partially transparent, coinguiding conduit, wherein a coin carried thereby is visible, extending from said rec'eiving portion externally of said body and returning to said storage portion; a coin carrier slidably mounted in said conduit in said receiving portion; said conduit having a coin insertion slot adjacent to and communicating with said coin carrier; s'aid coin carrier being adapted to engage; at one ide thereof, a coin inserted throughsaid slot; and aernanng means been atively connected to said coin ca'rrier to propel the car'- rier for a limited distance along said conduit in the direction away from said one side of a coin, whereby said coin is driven in said direction through said conduit to said storage portion.

2. A toy bank, comprising: a hollow body having a coin receiving portion and a coin storage portion; an en closed, continuous, at least partially transparent, coin guiding conduit, wherein a coin carried thereby is visible, extending from said receiving portion externally of said body and returning to said stora e portion; a coin carri'er slidably mounted in said conduit in said receiving portion; said conduit having a coin insertion slot adjacent said coin carrier; said coin carrier being adapted to engage, at one side thereof, a coin inserted through said slot; a spring operatively connected to said c'oin carrier and having an ai'm'portion projecting externally of said body and manually shiftable to a position wherein said spring is loaded; said spring being disposed when released to propel said coin carrier along said conduit in one direction for a limited distance in the direction away from said one side of a coin, whereby said coin is driven in said direction through said conduit to said storage portion.

3. A toy bank, comprising: a hollow body having a coin receiving compartment and a coin storage compartmcnt; an enclosed, continuous coin carrying conduit mounted externally of said body; said conduit including an upwardly extending ascent channel communicating with said receiving compartment, a'downwardly extending descent channel communicating with said storage con partment, and a generally spiral loop portion interconn sting said ascent and descent channels; said ascent channel having a guide portion extending downwardly into said receiving compartment; a coin carrier slidably mounted in said guide portion; said ascent channel having' a coin insertion slot communicating with said coin carrier; Said coin carrier engaging the under edge 'Of a coin inserted through said slot; a spring connected to said coin carrier and having a manually operable arm externally of said body and manually shiftable to a position wherein said spring is loaded; said spring being disposed when released to propel said coin carrier upwardly in said guide portion, whereby 'a coin contained in said carrier is driven'around saidconduit to said'storage compartment.

4. A toy bank, comprising: a hollow body having a coin receiving compartment and a coin storage compartment; an enclosed, continuous coin carrying conduit 7 mounted externally of said body; said conduit including an upwardly extending ascent channel communicating with said receiving compartment, a downwardly extending descent channel communicating with said storage compartment, and a generally spiral loop portion interconnecting said ascent and descent channels; said ascent channel having a guide portion extending downwardly into said receiving compartment; a coin carrier slidably' mounted in said guide portion; said ascent channel having a coin insertion slot communicating with said coin carrier; said coin carrier engaging the under edge of a coin inserted through said slot; a spring connected to said coin carrier and having a manually operable arm externally oi'said body and manually shiftable to a position wherein said spring is loaded; said spring being dis posed when released to propel said coin carrier upwardly in said guide portion, said guide portion having stops engageable by said spring to arrest the upward motion of said coin carrier, whereby a coin contained in the carrier is ejected therefrom and driven around said canduit to said storage compartment.

5. A toy bank, comprising: a hollow body having a coin receiving compartment and a coin storage compartment'; at base fixed to said body to holdthe' body 'upright onasupporting surface; a lower panel sep-arati'rig said body from said base; said panel having an access door therein communicating with said storage compartment; an enclosed, continuous coin carrying conduit mounted externally of said body; said conduit including an upwardly extending ascent channel communicating with said receiving compartment, 2 downwardly extending descent channel communicating with said storage compartment, and a generally spiral loop portion interconnecting said ascent and descent channels; said ascent channel having a guide portion extending downwardly into said receiving compartment; a coin carrier slidably mounted in said guide/portion; said ascent channel having a coin insertion slot communicating with said coin carrier; said coin carrier engaging the under edge of a coin inserted through said slot; a spring connected tosaid coin carrier and having a manually operable arm externally of said body and manually 'shiftable to a position wherein said spring is loaded; said spring being disposed when'released to propel said coin carrier upwardly in said guide portion, said guide portion having stops engageable by said spring to arrest the upward motion of said coin carrier, whereby a coin contained in the carrier is ejected therefrom and driven around said conduit to said storage compartment.

6. A toy bank according to claim 3 and wherein said conduit is transparent; said coin carrier having extended sides shaped to simulate a rocket and visible through said conduit, said coin storage compartment simulating the earth, and said spiral loop portion has an element representing a heavenly body about which said spiral loop simulates an orbital path.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 203,927 Maclean May 21, 1378 1,511,497 Bonini Qct. 14, 1924 2,664,291 l etterson Dec. 2 9, 1 953 2,890,537 cnko Julie 16, 

